This invention relates to an adjustable gauge, and more particularly to an adjustable gauge that has special application in measuring or checking the dimensions of a fillet weld and may also be used for making several other workpiece measurements.
Fillet welds are used when it is desired to join together two metal plates usually located at right angles relative to each other, but of course as one skilled in the art knows, the plates to be joined may be placed at an angle of more or less than 90xc2x0. Heretofore, many of the gauges used to determine dimensions of these types of welds have not been accurate, and many separate gauges were required to check various sizes of welds. Some prior art fillet gauges also require that the fillet scale be disengaged from the main body and flipped over in order to measure alternate dimensional scales. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,842, presized corner templates are used to gauge fillet welds. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,848 a separate steel member must be utilized to read the gauge. Improvements have been made in the area of weld gauges, and gauges now exist that can perform multiple measurements. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,558, and 4,637,142.
However, the need continues for a more accurate and easier to use weld gauge. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide for a novel, adjustable gauge for measuring the dimensions of a fillet weld. It is also an object of the invention to provide a weld gauge that has multiple scales and is easy to read.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fillet weld gauge which may be used to rapidly measure many different sizes of welds without the need for disengaging the fillet scale and flipping said scale over the measure alternate dimensional scales.
Another object of the invention is to provide for a fillet weld gauge which is readily adjustable and accurate.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent upon the reading of the following description.
The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing an adjustable gauge having special application to the measuring of the dimensions of fillet weld. The gauge is accurate and easy to use. The gauge includes a first plate and a second plate whereas the plates are rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation and juxtaposed to each other, and a linear member rotatably mounted on the same axis of rotation as the first and second plates juxtaposed to the second plate on a first face opposite the first plate, the linear member further member being slidably mounted in relation to the first and second plates in order to extend so as to measure a dimension of a weld.
Another feature of the invention is that the first plate is substantially rectangular in shape and terminates in an edge which traverses one corner thereof. The second plate is substantially circular in shape. The face of the first plate, which is adjacent to the second plate, has a recess thereon sized to accommodate the second plate.
Also, a feature of the invention is that the first plate, the second plate, and the linear member are rotatably mounted with a spring loaded mechanism for varying the rotational resistant there between. The second plate has first linear groove in the first face which the linear member slides in to measure the dimensions of a fillet weld. A second linear groove is located in the first face of the second plate set at an angle to the first groove for purposes of alternately sliding the linear member therein and measuring the dimensions of the weld using an alternative scale.
An additional feature of the invention is the weld gauge is provide with third a plate rotatably mounted to the first plate and juxtaposed against a back face of the first plate opposite the face to which the second plate is mounted.
A further feature of the invention is that the third plate is shaped substantially in the form of a pie section and rotatably mounted to the first plate in an area coinciding with the center of said pie.
Lastly it is a feature of the invention that the weld gauge has a detent mechanism for providing a rotational stopping points of the second plate in relation to the first plate. The detent mechanism comprises rounded protrusions on either the first plate or the second plate and mating apertures in the other juxtaposed plate corresponding to the desired rotational stopping points.